The wait is over: Android O is officially called Android Oreo

- Did you expect Android Oreo?

During a live-streamed event on 21 August, the company announced Android O will be called Android Oreo. The "event", which was scheduled around the same time as the 2017 solar eclipse, consisted of a small stage outside, with a background shot of an eclipse and a countdown timer. When the countdown concluded, the timer statue opened up to reveal an Android figure with an Oreo as its middle.

Googlers had to come on stage to help remove bits of the timer, while the Android/Oreo figure sat glowing in a cloud of fog. You can watch the entire scene unfold in the video below. Google also posted a blog post to introduce Android 8.0 Oreo, which it described as "smarter, faster and more powerful than ever". It comes with new features like picture-in-picture, which you can read all about from here.

As for when it'll be available, Google said it's pushing the sources to Android Open Source Project for everyone to access starting 21 August:

"Pixel and Nexus 5X/6P builds have entered carrier testing, and we expect to start rolling out in phases soon, alongside Pixel C and Nexus Player. We’ve also been working closely with our partners, and by the end of this year, hardware makers including Essential, General Mobile, HMD Global Home of Nokia Phones, Huawei, HTC, Kyocera, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp and Sony are scheduled to launch or upgrade devices to Android 8.0 Oreo."

In other words, Google is pushing Android Oreo out of developer preview/public beta and onto its Android Open Source Project. It also confirmed that builds for Pixel and Nexus 5X/6P have begun carrier testing, which means over-the-air rollout should occur for them soon, including updates for Nexus Player and Pixel C devices. Google has also been working with its device partners, and by the end of the year, select companies will either launch new devices or upgrade existing devices to Android 8.0 Oreo.

You can learn more about how to get Oreo from Google's Oreo site here. The final version of Android Oreo will also roll out to those in the beta program starting 21 August. To learn more about the beta, go here.